Bromley Heath Junior School

Inspection of Bromley Heath Junior School Quakers Road, Downend, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS16 6NJ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 23 and 24 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bromley Heath Junior School is a place where pupils learn to be thoughtful individuals who contribute to their community and the wider world. This reflects the school’s values, which include respect, responsibility and positivity. The warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils are special. The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well. Staff ensure that each pupil is considered in everything they do. Staff know and understand pupils’ needs. Pupils are happy and safe. They are extremely proud of their school and attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional in lessons and during social times. They demonstrate high levels of kindness towards one another. Pupils are extremely polite and well-mannered. They accept each other’s differences and show tolerance and empathy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The provision for pupils’ wider development is outstanding. Pupils take pleasure in the wealth of sports, drama and musical opportunities on offer. These activities develop pupils’ interests and talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides significant pastoral support to pupils and their families. Parents and carers are delighted with the school and appreciate all that it does for them. Typical comments include how the school is ‘supportive, caring and knowledgeable’ and ‘has the needs of the children at the centre of its ethos’.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school is aspirational for all pupils. An inclusive culture has been developed where every child matters. The school’s vision is shared by the wider school community. The school is unwavering in its determination to provide the very best learning experiences for the pupils. High-quality training for staff is pivotal to the success of this school. Staff value the training, coaching and mentoring they receive. This means staff are confident and effective teachers with secure subject knowledge and pedagogy.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school provides pupils with a curriculum that is ambitious and excites pupils in their learning. It identifies the essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary for pupils to learn. However, the school has been right to identify that more work is needed to ensure that checks on what pupils know and remember are implemented consistently well across all subjects. Some pupils are not able to remember the knowledge they have been taught which can hamper the progress they make.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff see pupils’ ability to read with accuracy and confidence as essential for their future success. Staff are skilled in the teaching of reading. They quickly identify pupils who are at risk of falling behind and provide support to help them to keep up. Books are carefully chosen to ensure they precisely match pupils’ phonic knowledge. Pupils become fluent readers. Pupils enjoy story time.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are at the forefront of the school’s work. Staff identify pupils’ barriers to learning accurately. Adaptations to learning 23 and 24 April 2025

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are made to ensure pupils get the support they need. This helps pupils learn the same curriculum as their classmates and achieve well.

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The school was quick to analyse why the published outcomes in 2024 for Year 6 pupils in writing at greater depth were lower than they had hoped. As a result, swift action has been taken. There is clear evidence that current pupils’ writing shows their command of the vocabulary, coherence and confidence in writing to ensure this outcome is not repeated.

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Pupils relish the roles and responsibilities afforded to them. These include being sports leaders and ‘buddies’. The school council is proactive. This allows pupils to have a voice and take responsibility for their school.

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Pupils learn how to become thoughtful and caring citizens. They respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live. They enjoy their involvement in and support of local charities. Pupils comment how staff ‘encourage us never to hide away and to be ourselves’.

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Staff are extremely proud to work at the school and comment how they ‘feel great coming to work’ and being part of the ‘BHJS family’. They welcome the support and consideration of leaders to manage their workload and well-being.

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Governors are acutely aware of their roles and responsibilities and fulfil their statutory duties. They are visible within the school and do not shy away from holding the school to account for the quality of education and care they provide. As a result, pupils experience success and have the confidence and resilience for the next stage of their education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not supported well enough to remember the key knowledge across the subjects they study. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall the essential knowledge they have previously learned. The school should ensure that the systems for assessment in place are securely embedded so that pupils know and remember more. 23 and 24 April 2025

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 23 and 24 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 March 2015

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Information about this school

 The special educational needs leader took up post in September 2024.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 23 and 24 April 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and wider staff.

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 The lead inspector met with governors including the chair of the governing body.

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 The lead inspector held telephone conversations with a school improvement adviser from the local authority and the school improvement partner.

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils from Year 3 read to a member of staff. Pupils in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 were also listened to reading. Story time was visited in Year 5 and Year 6.  Inspectors sampled pupils’ work in history, science and religious education.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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 Inspectors considered key documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan and examples of minutes from meetings of the governing body.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. An inspector met with school leaders to discuss and review how the school responds to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys. They considered the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Wigley Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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